This creamy coconut curry Thai turkey soup recipe is incredibly flavorful and easy to make. The tastiest way to use up leftover turkey or chicken!
I hope those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving had a good one. If you roasted a turkey, chances are you now have some leftovers.
This Thai coconut turkey soup is the perfect thing to ease you out of your turkey coma. It's warm and cozy but also fresh and fairly light. That's what I love about Thai food... the creamy coconut milk, fresh herbs, and vibrant flavors. Such a good combo.
Play with the flavor!
- This soup is flavorful but not what I'd call spicy. If you do want to make this soup spicier, add some grated ginger, sriracha, and/or chili paste.
- Not feeling some of the fresh herbs? Don't include them all.
- Are you a salt fiend like me? Add a splash of soy sauce.
- Serve the soup with lime wedges.
- Taste and adjust until you think it tastes perfect.
If you like Thai-inspired recipes, you may also like my easy Thai shrimp curry, this 20 minute Thai chicken curry soup or my Thai green curry soup with vermicelli.
Naturally, this soup works well for Thanksgiving leftovers, but it could also be made on another occasion where you have leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken. Or just cook a turkey breast if you want something a little different. I've done that before.
More leftover turkey recipes to try:
- Quick and Easy Turkey Noodle Soup
- Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup
- Easy Creamy Leftover Turkey Pasta Recipe
- Creamy Turkey Soup Recipe
- Leftover Turkey Chili
I hope you'll give this leftover turkey soup a try! Questions? Ask me in the comments below.
Thai Turkey Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 heaping tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 2 cups cooked turkey
- 7 ounces rice noodles see note
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 (13.5 fluid ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
- Scallions chopped, to taste
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Chop the onion, red pepper, basil, cilantro, and scallions.
- Sauté the onion in the olive oil in a large soup pot for 5 minutes over medium-high heat.
- Add the garlic and curry paste and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the chicken broth, water, lime juice, turkey, rice noodles, and red pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir in the coconut milk, and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the basil, cilantro, and scallions.
Notes
- Serves 4-6.
- Want to make this spicier? Add some grated ginger, sriracha, and/or chili paste.
- If you want this to be saltier, try a bit of soy sauce or just adding some regular salt.
- I used half a package of Thai Kitchen stir fry rice noodles (not the super thin ones) for this soup. You could add the whole package, but keep in mind it'll soak up the soup broth faster, so you may need to add more broth, especially if you reheat it.
- I used Thai Kitchen red curry paste and coconut milk. I recommend their coconut milk because it's not too watery unlike some other brands I've tried.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Betty says
I am so excited to try this! One of my go to soups is your lemony orzo chicken soup - I love it! And reading the reviews this looks like it will be a close second. Thank you!
Natasha says
You're very welcome! Let me know how it goes, Betty. 🙂
Brenda Beattie says
My whole family loved this. It was great to have a recipe different than the usual left over turkey soup or stew. I did add fish sauce, a little extra lime juice, some bamboo shoots and saved the cilantro, green onion and Thai basil for sprinkling on fresh just before serving. We will definitely make this again.
Natasha says
I'm thrilled you enjoyed it, Brenda!!
Gary Cummins says
Love it!!! Very flavorful, I recommend to add the fish sauce and chili garlic sauce.
Natasha says
Thank you!!
Kathy says
Although the write up said the solution is flavorful but not at all spicy, I found it to be so spicy that I didn't even enjoy it! I followed the directions exactly, except for adding more chicken broth, which seems it would have been less spicier than it was.
If I make this again, I will use far less Thai red curry sauce then the recipe calls for.
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
Hi Kathy! The brand of red curry we recommend in the post, Thai Kitchen, is not spicy. It sounds like you bought a spicy variety.
Sharclay says
Thank you for your awesome recipes!! I just love then!!
Natasha says
You're very welcome! 😀
Laura says
This was a great way to use up some leftover turkey! I altered a few things. The 2 c water was chicken broth as well as the 4 cups called for. Instead of rice noodles, I used brown rice (cooked separately at first, then added in) and also added a bag of spinach for more veggies. The ginger and soy sauce added in (to taste) along with the fresh cilantro, basil and scallions, made this dish extra flavorful! Everyone loved it!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you liked it!
Patti says
So so if you make it and simmer it for a while do you want to wait to put the noodles in or are they fine simmering
Natasha says
I'd probably wait to put the noodles in since they will soak up the broth.
Patti says
That’s what I figured 🙂 I added carrots, spinach, fish sauce, mushrooms, fresh ginger and soy
Amanda says
This is possibly my favorite soup of yours that I’ve made! SO much flavor, simple to make, and a great way to use leftover thanksgiving turkey. I added some fish sauce like a few other commenters suggested, and left out cilantro because the store didn’t have any and I didn’t want to go on a hunt. Will definitely be making this again! Thanks, Natasha!
Natasha says
That makes me so happy! 😀 You're very welcome!
Jennifer Mitchell says
Love Thai food and so was excited to transform leftover Thanksgiving Turkey into a totally different meal. This turned out so great! Added 2 TBS fish sauce, some garlic chili sauce and grated ginger to pump up the flavor and heat. Was delicious and full of flavor with 3 TBS of curry paste. Didn’t have any basil so I skipped that but used plenty of cilantro. Loved this recipe and so did my husband, in fact he insisted on seconds.
Natasha says
I'm so happy you guys enjoyed it!! 😀
Gregg says
I made this soup tonight with leftover Thanksgiving turkey - added ginger & fish sauce for extra zip = easy, delicious, satisfying, & post-worthy. Yum
Natasha says
Fantastic!! Glad it was a hit!! 😀
Mary Russell says
Love, love, love this. Made two little changes. I had no medium onion so I used shallots, I hate fresh cilantro so I used cilantro chutney - same taste but no odor,
Natasha says
Thank you so much!
Sara says
Made this today but instead of turkey I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs cooked in the soup before the step adding peppers in. Then I shredded it. A couple mods - I added a bit more chicken broth than called for, diced jalapeño, ginger and a little fish sauce and I cooked the rice noodles separate. I bought shiitake mushrooms to add too and totally forgot to put them in! Super tasty but if I make it again I think I’ll use a different pasta or rice or skip the starch altogether. The rice noodles were too slippery to get on your spoon and just sat at the bottom of the pot/bowl. Didn’t think to pull out chop sticks and eat it like pho until we were done eating!
Karen says
I added ginger and fish sauce for depth ! Great recipe to use up the last of the turkey !
Natasha says
Great idea!! Glad you enjoyed it, Karen! 😀
Denine says
Delicious and so satisfying. Wonderful leftover turkey meal.
Natasha says
Thank you so much!
Al Thomas says
Would this be able to freeze?
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
Sure, but you may want to add the noodles when reheating. Enjoy!!